Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce a December 7, 2018 release date for the sophomore album, “Superhero” from Swedish melodic rock quintet State of Salazar!
Sporting a melodic rock/AOR sound strongly inspired by musical giants such as Queen, Survivor, Toto, Journey, Europe, and the Rocky Soundtracks, State of Salazar opened quite a few eyes with the release of their debut full length, “All the Way” four years ago on Frontiers. And while it has been a bit of a wait between albums, work on what would eventually become "Superhero" actually began soon after the release of the debut album.
"After the release of "All The Way", I started right away on writing new songs for a second album,” tells singer Marcus Nygren. "We worked together as a band arranging the songs and recording really detailed pre-production demos. On the new album, we've given the instrumental parts a lot of space to capture the feel of the instrumental music that was often found in movies from the '80s. [Bear in mind that the “Training Montage” from Rocky IV is a major influence on the band’s sound.] At the same time, we wanted to show our love for smooth and groovy Westcoast AOR as well. All in all, “Superhero" consists of great guitar and keyboard riffs, some epic arrangements, and strong melodies, all performed with a heavier sound than last time."
Not too far after the release of “All The Way”, keyboard player Stefan Mårtenson chose to leave the band. Long-time friend Kevin Hosford took his place as the band's new keyboard player. Kevin wound up contributing not only as keyboard player, but also as lead vocalist and songwriter.
"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the boys, with over the top arrangements, melodic songwriting and killer vocals. The only thing that worries me is that I might have to grow an extra pair of arms when we go out on tour with "Superhero",” says Kevin.
"Superhero is more of a pure rock album, lots of guitars and keyboards riffin' it out, which, of course I enjoy,” concludes guitarist Johan Thuresson. "I think that all listeners will enjoy the path we've taken with our new songs, especially since we've been lucky enough to have Alessandro Del Vecchio helping out with the final touches regarding the sound.”
State of Salazar were also the very first band to play on the Frontiers Rock Festival stage in Milan at the inaugural show in 2014 and put on a killer performance for all the fans in attendance, so it is with great pleasure that Frontiers announced the band will be appearing at the first annual Frontiers Rock Sweden Festival. The event takes place in Stockholm and they'll appear together with labelmates Creye, One Desire, Crazy Lixx, The Dark Element, and Eclipse (Sweden) on October 13, 2018 at Fryshuset Klubben.
“Superhero” tracklisting:
1. If You Wait For Me
2. My Heart Is At War
3. Hold On Tonight
4. Masquerade
5. She's A Loaded Gun
6. Lie To Me
7. Joanne
8. Someone I Know
9. To The Wire
10. Love Will Find A Way
11. Superhero
PRODUCED BY: State of Salazar
Mix & Mastering: Alessandro Del Vecchio
BAND MEMBERS:
Marcus Nygren - Lead vocals & backing vocals
Kevin Hosford - Keyboards & lead vocals
Johan Thuresson - Guitars
Johannes Hansson - Bass
Kristian Brun - Drums
GUEST APPEARANCES:
Kristina Talajic - Lead Vocals on "Lie To Me"
Rasmus Nyvall - Saxophone on "Love Will Find A Way”
The Swedes do it again! What a great little melodic rock n pomp album this is. Filled to the brim with Swedish melodic goodness and bubbling over with uplifting harmonies and catchy choruses.
The band has an interesting sound. It’s hard to be original in this day and age, but these guys have their own swagger, that’s for sure.
What I’m hearing here is a mix of Swedish pop/rock and melodic rock with Styx influenced pomposity mixed in.
Vocalist Marcus Nygren is a real find. He wrote all the lyrics and music here and his vocals are the driving force behind the album.
Imagine some anthemic Mitch Malloy mixed with Toby Hitchcock and the smooth AOR of last year’s Find Me project. Add some 70s Styx pomp and some 80s Toto precision Westcoast and you might get close to State Of Salazar.
Whatever the sound, the songs are brilliant and draw you back in each time. Without repeating themselves, there’s one hit song after another.
I Believe In You is a happy go lucky pop rocker with a sweet vocal; Field Of Dreams sounds like the straight ahead melodic rock of Blanc Faces/Find Me; All The Way sounds like classic 70s Styx with an AOR chorus; while the ballad Love Of My Life could have come from any classic 80s rock soundtrack.
Elsewhere the melodic goodness of Eat Your Heart Out is pomp perfection; the immense Catastrophe is anything but, with the band showing depth with additional layers of strings; and Always is simply pop rock happiness.
Adrian is the band at their anthemic, layered pompous best and the ballad End Of Time is a relaxed way to close out a pretty energetic record.
A real find and destined to be one of the best debut albums of 2014. Packed with catchy hooks, glorious melodies and choruses at every turn.
If you enjoy anything out of Sweden and the lighter side of melodic rock, then these guys are an absolute must get.
Classy world-class production just tops off an all-round great record.
SWEDISH MELODIC ROCKERS STATE OF SALAZAR’S VIDEO “ALL THE WAY” FROM FORTHCOMING DEBUT ALBUM HAS EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE
PREMIERE ON MELODICROCK.COM
“Eat Your Heart Out” also available as instant grat track;
“All the Way” due out in August on FRONTIERS RECORDS!
Melodic Rock Fans can surf to Melodicrock.com to check out the exclusive worldwide premiere of the video for “All the Way”. The new video is taken from the forthcoming debut album “All the Way” coming out on Frontiers Records on August 22 in Europe and August 26 in North America. State of Salazar sound is influenced by such greats as Toto, Queen, Journey and Survivor but with these guys, everything is musically possible! The song “All the Way” is also available now – together with the other awesome album track “Eat Your Heart Out” - as instant gratification track for all those who preorder the album now via iTunes. The two songs can also be streamed via Spotify.
STATE OF SALAZAR came to the attention of Frontiers A&R dept after the release of their debut EP ”Lost my Way” in the summer of 2012. Reviews spread fast in magazines and blogs and created a flood of praise from all over the world during a very short period: “This is something that can grow really big.” “...State Of Salazar will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the genre.” “…this EP is an extremely polished piece of art...” “The performances and the production are superb…”
STATE OF SALAZAR had their live debut at the Frontiers Rock Festival last May in Milan where they took the audience by surprise with their “feel good” Melodic Rock music !
STATE OF SALAZAR are Marcus Nygren, vocals, Johan Thuresson, guitars, Johannes Hansson, bass, Kristian Brun, drums and Stefan Mårtenson, keyboards.
STATE OF SALAZAR GOING "ALL THE WAY" WITH THE RELEASE OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM OUT ON FRONTIERS IN AUGUST
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Swedish melodic rockers STATE OF SALAZAR debut album entitled “All the Way” on August 22nd in Europe and August 26th in North America.
STATE OF SALAZAR came to the attention of Frontiers A&R dept after the release of their debut EP ”Lost my Way” in the summer of 2012. Reviews spread fast in magazines and blogs and created a flood of praise from all over the world during a very short period: “This is something that can grow really big.” “...State Of Salazar will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the genre.” “…this EP is an extremely polished piece of art...” “The performances and the production are superb…”
With bands such as Toto, Queen, Journey, Survivor and especially Bill Conti and Vince DiCola (Rocky IV’s "Training Montage" writer and performer) in their influences list, STATE OF SALAZAR have indeed a lot to prove. They handle all this pressure with their heads held high since it is a quintet with great musicians! All members – Marcus Nygren, vocals, Johan Thuresson, guitars, Johannes Hansson, bass, Kristian Brun, drums and Stefan Mårtenson, keyboards – have extensive live and studio experience. In other words, these guys know what they are doing and they already showed it to the unsuspecting public of the first Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan where they took the audience by surprise with their “feel good” Melodic Rock music.
“I feel that I’ve developed my songwriting a lot since the songs for the EP” says singer Marcus Nygren. “However everyone of us put his own personality on the musical performances on the album and every single detail has been worked with and we sound like a band who took it All The Way!”.
“More than a year of hard work from everyone involved, made it possible for us to develop our sound and actually find out who we are, musically as a group” adds bassist Johannes Hansson. “From epic synths, angelic choirs and guitar soundscapes to unison low E-string riffs we've allowed ourselves to indulge what we want the music to say without having to adapt. Believe me when I say that big things are coming in 2014”, concludes guitarist Johan Thuresson.
STATE OF SALAZAR is therefore ready to show the world that they are definitely not a retro band, or a walk down memory lane. They write songs and play music that strives forward and not backwards. Their songwriting, arranging and instrumental performance show that this is a band that wants to develop and give its contribution to the Melodic Rock genre.
I Believe In You; Field of Dreams; All the Way; Love of My Life; Eat Your Heart Out; Time to Say Goodbye; Marie; Let Me Love; Catastrophe; Always; Adrian; End of Time.
